Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-06-16
Photographing a PapOose.

had often longed for a good picture
of 4 Navajo baby IN its native plains,
and here was an opportunity not to be
lost, says Il writer In Nature. So,
stepping Il few feet out of the way, in
an instant I had my instrument in
position, focused on the path, and,
with instantaneous snap ready, l
stood quietly for my subject to pass.
On he toddled, until he came within
about thirty feet OF me, when he sud
denly stopped, and. to my surprise,
seemed to fully take in the situation.
All this stage 1 felt quite sure that one
of our babies, especially of this tender
age, would have began to cry, and
more than likely retraced its steps to
the hut from whence it had issued.
Not so, however. this infant Navajo;
aud mark the difference He steadily
watched my every movement, and was
evidently determined to reach the
lower hut. Very cautiously leaving
the pa tn on the side farthest from me,
he was in the next instant, behind one
Of the sage bushes, which was some
thing over foot taller than the baby.
From this position he peered through
the leatlesS twigs at me to see what |
would do about it. Alittle ANNOYED at
this turn of affairs, | threw the To-
cusing cloth over my head and turned
the instrument on him. Taking adj
vantage of this temporary conceal
ment of my head, he ran thoroughly
baby-fashion, to the next lower brush,
4 distance of ten feet, where, hiding as
before, he crouched down and stared
at me like u young lynx through the
twigs. He now looked for all the
world the young Indian cub at bay,
with all the native instincts of his an
cestors on the alert, and making use Of
all the strategy his baby mind could
muster.
1t was wonderful interesting pic
ture to study; but fearing that l would
lose 4 permanent memento of it, [
turned TO lift my instrument, with a
view of taking much nearer posi-
ton, when again facing the brush
where [ had last seen the baby it was,
to my great surprise, not there, but
had scampered to the next lower one,
in the direction of the hut to which it
was bound. A full-grown buck of the
tribe could not possibly have managed
this last movement any better. As it
ran to the still next lower brush | was
astonished beyond measure (for [ take
it that | am good stalker myself how
it took advantage of everything that
lay in the short intervening distance,
and how, after it arrived at the brush,
it Immediately took {; position on the
opposite side of it from where it could
make another quick start and yet not
lose sight OF my movements. And,
mind you, all this from baby only
ten months old, at the most. As it was
rapidly gaining its point and approach
ing the lower hut, in sheer desperation
ran upon its last place of conceal
ment, holding my camera in such
way that | could Immediately place
the tripod in position, which | sue
ceeded in doing, with the lens directed
at its head, and not three feet from it,
1t now stood up to the full extent of
its baby height, and, giving vent to
genuine infantiIe bawl, it made a
break for the final point of its desti-
nation, for there was nothing else
left for it to do 1t is almost needless
to add that, before / could focus and
insert plate. my Navajo baby was
out of range. And, fearing that its
angered mother might appear at any
point at the cry Of alarm of her child,
Immediately left.